A/N: Sleepy. Okay. I'm going to try to type this chapter perfectly within
the next two to three hours...-_- here goes nothing. I Failed!!!! Day two
and this chap still isn't finished! The shame!! T_T But this chap is
actually hard to write up. I know what I want, just not how to put it
together. egh. Well guess what. The story is now approximately 135 pages
long! Whoohooo!!
~Hika
Ack...I forgot to mention, in the argument Nadesiko gets in, she makes biblical references. Hope ya'll don't mind.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko closed her dark brown eyes in frustration as she heard Tseng walk past her cubicle. He hadn't talked to her since they left the helicopter the day before. She could tell that he was mad at her for arguing with him in front of everybody about the treatment he had given Aeris. And it probably didn't help that she had called him a cheap abusive bastard. She shrugged, knowing for a fact that when she threatened to cut his hand off and shove it up his ass the next time he laid a violent hand on Aeris only made the situation worse. No matter. Her eyes wandered to the screen before her. She had looked up the images of the people she had seen on the pillar before the explosion. She herself would pay them respects for trying to protect their home. The first on the list visible on the computer screen was the black man. His face wore a grim expression and looked as though it hadn't been shaved for weeks. The orange vest he wore had a high-fringed neckline that came up behind his head. The caption below it described him.
"Barret Wallace. Leader of the rebel group AVALANCHE. 35 years old, 6 feet 4 inches, born December 15 in Corel Village. After destruction of village in response to its terrorist actions, Wallace moved to sector seven with his friends child, Marlene." Nadesiko felt heat add to her boiling anger as she thought about the child that was either killed or now abandoned because of Shinra's actions. Grimly she made a mental note to find out what happened to the child and see what she could do about the situation.
'Wait a minute...Marlene...' Her eyes closed as her mind scanned through her memory. The Cetra, Aeris, she had yelled something about a girl named Marlene. Had she known about Shinra's plans before hand? And if so, how did she find out? Shaking her head she looked down at the second person on the list. It was the woman. A soft smile was on her lips and her crimson eyes seemed to laugh at the camera. Her brown bangs fell softly past her right eye and she seemed to be wincing slightly as if one of the hairs had fallen into her view. Nadesiko glanced at its caption.
"Tifa Lockheart. Hostess of Sector Seven's Seventh Heaven bar. 20 years old, five feet four inches, born May 3 in Nibelheim. Reason for moving to Midgar currently unknown."
Nadesiko sighed. The Tifa girl was a lot like her. Their birthdays were close; Nadesiko's being the 8th. And they looked so much alike. It kind of creeped the Turk out. She looked down at the third picture, her eyes landing on the blonde haired man. His deep blue eyes sent chills down the woman's spine and she looked carefully over his picture. It was a full shot, unlike the other two which were just headshots. He had an earring in his right ear, a small silver ball that shone slightly. He wore a ragged uniform of a First Class SOLDIER. 'What was he doing fighting Shinra then?' Nadesiko thought for a moment. She quickly shook her head and tried to concentrate on the profile once more. When she noticed the large sword he held loosely in his left hand, its tip dragging on the ground, her eyes narrowed. She had seen it before, even before the pillar. But where? Nadesiko read the caption slowly.
"Cloud Strife. Former Shinra guard. 21 years old, born in Nibelheim. Infused with Mako at 17 years of age. Disappeared during a mission to the Nibel reactor along with First Class SOLDIER Sephiroth and First Class SOLDIER Zack." Nadesiko's eyes widened. What in the world would a guard be doing with a SOLDIER uniform? WHy was he missing? And where does Sephiroth come in!? She shook her head and printed the page. She had a feeling a piece of her puzzle had just revealed itself...But where did it fit?
~*~*~*~
Lamirra looked in Reno's cubicle and smiled softly. Most of his belongings were strewn about the floor, including the Turk uniform's blue jacket and his shoes. He was sprawled limply in his chair, the white Polo shirt halfway unbuttoned. She moved in slowly and picked up a few papers as she went.
"Hello sunshine." She muttered at Reno's limp form. He groaned in response. Lamirra knocked his legs off his desk and slid into their place. A look of kindness was in her eyes. Nadesiko said not to raise suspicion, so she decided to be nice until it was time for payback.
"What's wrong with you?" she leaned in closer to examine the redhead more thoroughly. Reno looked up at her grimly and she immediately concluded that either he was drunk or had a serious hangover. She grinned, hoping that it would be enough to hide her inward laughter. His blood shot eyes closed and he sat up slowly. He held up a finger for each reason he had.
"For one, I'm not drunk, so don't look at me like that. I just didn't get any sleep at all last night."
"Like you get any normally?" Lamirra quirked an eyebrow, a gesture she was used to doing around this particular person. Reno grinned mischievously in spite of his current state.
"And what do you suppose I usually do at night?" when Lamirra's eyes widened, he grinned, getting the shock he was looking for. He stretched a little and continued. "Two, Nadesiko stopped by my house and revived my long dead conscience at about 10 o'clock last night. Explaining why I didn't get any sleep."
"And why she got home late." Lamirra nodded as Reno gave her a flat look and shook his head.
"Did you come in here to make my headache worse?" he groaned a little and leaned back again. Lamirra chuckled softly.
"Not really, no. I just wanted to know if you had any paperclips I could use. I just ran out." Reno looked at her with confusion before reaching slowly behind him and chucking her empty bowl at her. He smiled at her joke.
"Take a wild guess."
~*~*~*~
Cloud walked quietly alongside his two companions. Outside, Shinra headquarters was quiet and peaceful. No one noticed the three dirt covered individuals from the slums as they moved around the back and headed towards the stairwell. The three vigilantes had decided to initiate a rescue operation for their Cetra friend. The brown haired woman trotted up the stairwell right behind the blonde man. She stared at the ground as she moved.
"Cloud. Do you think Aeris will be alright?" Cloud looked cast a glance back at her and shrugged.
"I hope so, Tifa...I hope so."
~*~*~*~
Rufus waited quietly in his office for Nadesiko's arrival. He had summoned her up about an hour ago and he had heard no reply. He wasn't surprised. She was obviously pissed about last night's mission. His blue eyes flashed in the light of his desk and he cursed his father's name aloud. Count on that old man to screw things up.
~*~*~*~
Rude moved silently through the building, Reno close behind him. They had heard some loud noises down on the 50th floor and Tseng had asked them to check it out. Reno looked quietly at his partner.
"Hey Rude?" Rude nodded.
"Yah?"
"...Do you think..."
"The girls are planning something?" the older man pushed his sunglasses farther up the bridge of his nose. Reno blinked.
"Well, yah."
"Why would *I* know Reno?" Reno looked at the ground. The taller man never got too close to the two women. Rude smiled.
"How about we take them out this weekend?" Reno stopped in his tracks and stared in disbelief at Rude. When he kept walking, Reno jogged to catch up.
"Wait, what? *You're* suggesting that we have a double date!?" Rude gave Reno an exasperated look and sighed. No wonder he never had a girlfriend for longer than a week.
"For starters, it's not a date. Just because I'm a serious guy doesn't mean I'm a loser. I just think the girls are a little uptight and might like to relax. Its the same as you and I going to the bar." Reno smirked and smacked his friend on the back.
"Yah right. Whatever you say. Sure why not?" Rude gave Reno a flat stare and smacked the back of his head forcefully before marching off down the hallway. Reno rubbed his head with a pained expression as he followed slowly behind the bald man.
'Yep. He likes one of em.' the redhead grinned slightly. 'But I guess it's kinda hard not to.'
~*~*~*~
Alarms were sounding all around them as the small party of five ran down the winding Shinra halls. They had just succeeded in finding Aeris; now all they had to do was find a way out. Cloud stared down at the cat like beast before him. Hojo had run off faster than all hell when he broke out. Aeris was hanging off the blonde like a leech. He sighed. Running with her on his arm was much more difficult than it would appear. He quickly snapped orders the burly man behind him.
"Barret, you take Aeris and head out. We'll meet you downstairs."
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko marched up to Rufus' office, making sure to have Lamirra in tow. She didn't want to be alone when she left his office for fear that she might hurt someone who *didn't* deserve it. Lamirra watched as her friend stormed ahead of her to slam open the door to Rufus' office. She didn't want to be there, but when her friend wanted something, she could usually get it. Besides, Nadesiko's magic freaked her out. As the door swung closed she decided it would be best for her to stand just outside and eavesdrop, rather than have something "accidentally" chucked at her.
~*~*~*~
Rufus looked up to see Nadesiko, dressed in her uniform, glasses hanging in her right hand, her left hand resting sternly on her hip, and her mouse brown eyes staring down at him vehemently from over his desk.
"Nadesiko. I need you and Lamirra to take night shift tonight in the prison on the 56th floor."
"Why do you need Turks for such a petty job? I thought we were Special Forces."
"The former guard was caught abusing drugs and was fired. Until we can get a replacement we might as well use you two. Besides, you could watch these particular prisoners better than a normal guard can." Nadesiko nodded in agreement and closed her eyes.
"So." she launched right into the issue. "I thought you said that you were going to fix things." Rufus nodded and stood to his feet, moving carefully towards the large window that looked out away from Midgar and to the ocean. He was thankful his office was high enough that he didn't have to see the dreary, dank life below.
"Yes, I did."
Nadesiko stood in her place, eyes boring into him. He could feel their shameless stare even though he could not see them.
"You call having the Turks kill hundreds of people because of ONE rebel faction, taking care of things!? Why didn't you just send me and Mirra to go track them down!?" Rufus turned to her.
"You really think I had a say in the issue? I didn't find out about it till 5:00 yesterday afternoon. That only gave me three hours to try and talk my father out of it!" Nadesiko clenched her fist in fury.
"Three hours could have given you time to go down there yourself and evacuate the people!"
"AND then I would have been suspected of treason!"
"You would have done something honorable!"
"It could have got me killed!"
"A man who seeks to save his life will lose it! A man who gives it willingly to another will gain it!" Rufus stared incredulously at the woman before him. He knew she would eventually win the argument. He closed his eyes. Count on him to chose to fight with a woman who studied theology for a hobby.
"So why didn't *you* do it?" he accused, not willing to give up so easily. Outside Lamirra winced. Nadesiko bit her bottom lip and her eyes moved to the ground. After an uneasy pause, she replied, "I couldn't."
Rufus looked up at her sudden humble response. Her voice was barely audible. She sounded hurt, and it hurt him, but he wasn't going to lose this fight, at least not to anyone listening. He thought for a moment then decided to push further.
"Why not?"
"...I...I..." He moved around to the girl, her face crimson with anger and embarrassment. Her fists were clenched tight and he could see small drops of blood sliding down her fingers onto the carpet she stood upon. A cool finger slid slowly under her chin lifted her face to stare up at their owner.
"I understand."
Nadesiko's face softened into confusion as Rufus kissed her forehead gently and carefully unfolded her fists. He looked down into her palms and stared at the deep cuts her nails had dug into her hands. The blood slid off her fingers and onto his hands, then to the lush blue carpet, turning the thick fabric purple wherever the blood hit. A green light washed over Nadesiko's body and her wounds closed up slowly. When the light vanished she looked up at Rufus curiously.
"How could you understand?" the question was meant to be biting, but in her current state she was unable to voice any strong emotion other than shame. Rufus brushed her hair back from her face and smiled.
"I just do. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry about what happened." Nadesiko pulled away from him and crossed her arms stubbornly. His strange behavior was beginning to freak her out.
"I'll see you around Rufus...Er, I've got work to do." she walked briskly out the door to Lamirra, who was doubled up, giggling like a schoolgirl.
~*~*~*~
Rude stepped quietly onto the elevator and smirked at the blonde standing in front of the switchboard. He finally caught up with the rebel.
"Excuse me Cloud. Going up? I believe your friends are waiting to meet you."
~*~*~*~
Lamirra walked swiftly beside her friend. Both girls stared straight ahead as they talked quietly.
"Do you think he knows?" Nadesiko questioned Lamirra nervously as they turned down the hallway leading to the prison cells. They could hear the captives talking amongst themselves and Lamirra shook her head in response to Nadesiko's question. The girls stood quietly by one of the closed cell doors and listened. From the cell they were by Aeris' voice sifted out.
"Cloud. I'm sorry about this." Nadesiko looked up at Lamirra with a grin.
"They survived!" She mouthed the words silently. Lamirra nodded with a grin of joy and banged on the door.
"Quiet you guys!" She turned to Nadesiko happily. Her grin quickly dissipated. Nadesiko had her head bowed low and she was moving to the each door, reading the nameplates of each.
"Aeris Gainsborough. Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart. Barret Wallace and RedXIII. Lamirra, its the people from the pillar! They made it out!" An unfamiliar female voice growled at them.
"What's it to you? Your getting your pay aren't you? Who care about the innocent people involved?" The girls judged that it was Tifa. Lamirra scowled, angered by the cut into her pride.
"Hey you have no right to judge us! We just-ow!" Nadesiko cuffed Lamirra on the head and moved over to the second cell door quietly.
"Look. We honestly had nothing to do with the pillars destruction. I'm truly sorry for what happened. But please, tell me. Did anyone from AVALANCHE survive?" A burly voice sounded from the end of the hallway in the third cell.
"Course we suhvived! Yo think some fo's like you Shinra vermin can cut us out that easy!?" Lamirra's joy overwhelmed her irritation at the remark and burst out in happy laughter with Nadesiko. Nadesiko lowered her head and smiled softly as the male voice broke out into a tangent of cursing. A voice Lamirra recognized as RedXIII's cut Barret off.
"Barret please stop that. You sound ridiculous. Lamirra is that you out there I hear laughing?" Lamirra nodded and moved towards the door.
"Hey Red. Why are you in here with these people? What happened?" A third male voice, Nadesiko assumed it was Cloud, entered into the conversation. His voice was cool and calm, but all his words had a sarcastic edge to them.
"After you people kidnapped Aeris, and destroyed Sector Seven, we decided to come get Aeris back. Eventually we found her. Hojo was trying to get RedXIII and Aeris to mate." Nadesiko gasped indignantly as Lamirra badmouthed Hojo until Cloud continued. "Well Barret shot open the cage, RedXIII jumped out and attacked Hojo, Hojo ran away, and I sent Aeris with Barret to get out of this place. Tifa, RedXIII, and I wound up fighting this monster. We killed it and left. And then to our misfortune Rude appeared and was kind enough to inform us that Reno had grabbed Aeris and Barret. We were dragged up to President Shinra's office and then sent down here. That's about sums it up anyways."
After waiting a moment to see if Cloud had finished, Lamirra looked up to ask Aeris a question. She hadn't noticed that Nadesiko had gone completely still. "Hey, was Reno okay with you? I mean, he didn't pistol whip you or anything, did he?"
Aeris laughed lightly. She figured that Lamirra had something with the man. "Well, he got in a bit of a fist fight with Barett, but otherwise he was fine." smiling, she questioned, "Why does it matter?"
The simple question threw her off balance. Why DID it matter? Lamirra responded quickly, "Uhm, well, you see he-huh?" she suddenly noticed Nadesiko's strange actions. The older woman gave her a look, to which she nodded. Nadesiko straightened and spoke loud enough so that all the vigilantes could hear.
"Okay um, someone's coming, and we're still working for Shinra. So this conversation's got to end for now. Just wait it out. We'll figure something out, I promise."
~*~*~*~
Lamirra and Nadesiko sat outside for hours, loyally guarding the jail cells. It wasn't long before Lamirra stretched and yawned. Checking to see if she could hear the snores of all of the captives, she turned to Nadesiko.
"Hey, Siko."
"Hmm?" Nadesiko stirred a bit, waking from a light nap.
"Waddaya think about Reno and Rude?"
The older Turk looked at her companion. "Why are you asking now?"
Lamirra fidgeted. "Well, I've been wanting to ask for a while, and I thought that I might as well now."
Nadesiko rolled her eyes, inwardly chuckling. "What exactly were you gonna ask?"
"Uhm...what do you think of them?"
She rolled her eyes again. "Honestly, can you be anymore vague?"
"You know what I mean! Like...how do you feel about them?"
Nadesiko knew exactly what her young friend had in mind, but after hanging around Reno for so long, it was impossible to resist pestering her further. "I think that they're hard workers." she scowled a bit and added, "Except for Reno."
"Ugh!" Lamirra threw up her hands in exasperation. "Do you like them or what? I mean, would you be interested in them?"
Nadesiko burst out laughing. "Interested in them? I guess I could be. Rude's an honest guy and a hard worker. Reno on the other hand...I guess he sorta has that charm, y'know? But otherwise I don't think they'd be good choices for a relationship. " She winked at Lamirra. "Although there're always exceptions."
Just before Lamirra was able to retort, Nadesiko cut her off with a hand motion, her face suddenly becoming serious. A normal Shinra guard stumbled into the hall. His body slumped and then fell to the ground, blood pouring from a gash in his back. Nadesiko grabbed her friend by the arm and pointed up at the air duct above them. Lamirra took the clue and quickly moved up onto her friend's shoulders where she swiftly moved the grating up and in, followed by her body. She reached down and helped Nadesiko up into the opening. The girls slid the grating back into place and they both stared down into the hallway waiting for whatever it was Nadesiko had sensed earlier. Lamirra's bright green eyes stared intently as a tall form, clothed in tight black clothes, bearing a long sword in large gloved hands, moved slowly down the hall. His long white hair fell softly and moved side to side with the long black cloak he wore. Nadesiko looked up at Lamirra at the same time her partner looked at her. Both girls mouthed the same word.
"Sephiroth."
They strained to not even breathe as they watched him move to the center cell and slide open the door where Cloud and Tifa were sleeping soundly. He paused, a small, carnivorous smile forming on his lips. His eyes slid up to the grate, where Lamirra recoiled impulsively, nearly bumping into Nadesiko. The older Turk was unable to see what was going on, but could feel the fear that seemed to seep out of every pore Lamirra had. Sephiroth stood there, staring for what seemed to be hours. Finally, he moved out of the hallway and into the distance, silver hair fluttering out behind him. Both girls simultaneously released the breath they held out of fear.
"Good thing we hid. I wouldn't want to wind up like the guy on the floor there." Lamirra frowned.
"Siko...I thought Sephiroth was dead."
~*~*~*~
Cloud sat up from his uncomfortable position on the cold steel floor. He looked towards the door and frowned when he noticed it was wide open. Moving with a cautious air he walked to the door and peeked around the corner, the stench of death engulfing his sense of smell. The confusion on his face increased when he saw the limp form of the guard lying on the ground, blood surrounding his body. Cloud turned back to Tifa.
"Tifa. Tifa wake up!" Tifa rolled onto her side and glared at Cloud.
"Whaddya want Cloud?" She paused and stared at the door. "Why is the door open?" Cloud shrugged and motioned for her to follow him to the dead guard. When they got to him Tifa covered her face and turned away. Cloud reached down and pulled the keys from his belt trying not to get the blood on his hands. Making a face he removed a key from the ring he held and tossed it to Tifa.
"You wake Aeris up. I'll get the others." Tifa nodded and moved towards the door where Aeris was locked up. With quick movements she unlocked the door, pushed it open and moved towards Aeris.
After Cloud got Barret and RedXIII to wake up they met in the hallway by the corpse. RedXIII looked up at his new companions.
"Do you think the girls did this?" Cloud shook his head.
"I dunno. Why don't you go ahead of us, and we'll follow."
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko watched as Cloud and his small crew moved away from the hall, allowing for the two girls to slide out of the duct quietly. Once on the ground Lamirra turned to the older brunette and bit her bottom lip.
"Should we follow them?" Nadesiko nodded her head and allowed Lamirra to take the lead. Sometimes she just didn't feel like doing the hard part of the work, and Lamirra seemed eager to work off the stress that had built itself up into a knot in her chest.
~*~*~*~
Aeris was the first into President Shinra's office and she looked upon the scene with disgust written upon her face. The president was face down on his desk, with a long sword sticking out from his back. RedXIII slid in behind her and he lowered his head trying to rid his nose of the stench of death. Cloud and Tifa entered at the same time and moved slowly towards the desk as Barret took up the rear, watching carefully for anyone who might pose a threat to the small group. Suddenly a short, bald man, pudgy and too large for his clean brown suit, ran from behind one of the pillars in a desperate attempt to escape the situation. Barret and Cloud moved swiftly, each grabbing one of the fat man's arms and lifting him off the ground. Nadesiko and Lamirra hid behind a desk near the stairs and watched in amusement. Nadesiko turned to her friend with a grin.
"Palmer." She whispered softly and then turned her attention back to the scene before her. Cloud's eyes widened as Palmer broke down and told the men that Sephiroth had shown up and killed the President while muttering something about the Promised Land. As Palmer finished his hurried words he broke loose of the men's grasp and ran past the desk, rushing to escape from the fugitives. Lamirra narrowed her eyes as she went deep into thought about what Palmer had just said. She turned around and nodded at Nadesiko.
"I'm going to follow him. See what he does," she whispered, "then I'll help these guys out of here. I'll meet you in Kalm tomorrow morning alright?" Nadesiko nodded her approval and watched as her friend slipped away, as quiet and stealthy as a cat. Nadesiko winced. They were going to get in sooo much trouble with Tseng. The sound of helicopter blades filled her ears and she snapped out of her daze as she watched the group run outside to meet the machine. She groaned quietly. That helicopter meant only one thing. The Turks and Rufus.
~*~*~*~
Lamirra watched in silence as Palmer pulled the cell phone from his pocket.
"Hello Rufus-er President Rufus.... Yes, yes. We were attacked. By Sephiroth himself. He killed your father by they way.... yes of course.....No I don't know where the girls are. I figure Sephiroth got a hold of them as well.... of course sir.... well sir...the key? Oh yes. Actually I did get a lead. Um hum.... You remember Cosmo Canyon don't you? Buegen Haggen. That crazy old cook that used to work for your father. He used to talk about all sorts of stuff like that.... yes, he lives there now. He definitely knows something sir. That's why we got that specimen, oh what did Hojo call it...oh yes, RedXIII. Of course...of course sir. Good day sir." Palmer flipped his cell phone closed and placed it into his pocket before skipping off to the elevator. Lamirra's eyes widened. So Rufus wanted the key! Siko would not be happy about this at all.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko watched anxiously as she moved close enough to the helicopter she could jump in. But she refused to move into it until she knew Rufus was going to leave first. Rufus had given a long annoying speech about how his father had done everything wrong, that his father had gone strictly by money or whatever, but he would rule by fear. All but Cloud had left after he spoke and now the two men faced off preparing for a battle. Her brown eyes filled with worry. She didn't want Cloud to die, and she knew Rufus would want to kill him, because Cloud could be a valuable asset to her mission. He was friends with the Ancient! But Rufus couldn't die either. No matter how much she denied it in public, she had grown fond of him. She smiled gratefully as Rufus dodged an attack from Cloud and grabbed the bottom of the helicopter. As the helicopter began to move away from the building she got a running start and leaped at it, sailing into the cockpit gracefully. She then turned and reached down, giving Rufus a hand into the machine. He looked up at her with confusion.
"How did you?" She smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She took a breath before she began her story, making up the details as she went along.
"Mirra and I were on break when Sephiroth appeared out of nowhere! We both hid to see what he would do, and then he just disappeared again! It was really freaky. So I went upstairs to check on the President while Lamirra went back to check the cells. When I got upstairs I saw the President dead, and then I heard the chopper. I went to the top story to see what was going on. Then I saw you in the fight with that blonde guy. I showed up just when you finished too. So I decided to jump onto the helicopter and make sure you were all right." Rufus looked at the girl as she talked in a panicky voice, her eyes wide with fear. Nadesiko thought she was playing her part well, and was smiling inwardly. Rufus wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled him to her in a gentle hug. Tseng glared at her from across the machine.
"What about Lamirra?" Nadesiko's eyes fell to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small twitch from Reno.
"I-I don't know. She said if I didn't hear from her by morning time...Then to just..."Tears welled up in her eyes on cue and she buried her head in Rufus chest. The older man wrapped his arms protectively around her shaking body. Tseng's eyes softened slightly at prospect of Lamirra's death. He looked at the other three Turks in the chopper with him. All three had their heads bowed silently and wouldn't look up. Reno seemed to be lost in thought, as Nadesiko sobbed silently he clasped his hands behind his neck and closed his eyes tightly. This just wasn't his week.
~*~*~*~
Lamirra ran behind Cloud and Tifa her sleeves rolled up and eyes ablaze she grinned.
"Heyo kiddies!" She hollered up at the two and they turned with confused expressions. When Tifa saw who it was, she scowled. No matter how friendly this Turk was, there was no way she could be good. Cloud quirked an eyebrow.
"Aren't you younger than us?"
"Details, details." Lamirra waved a lazy hand at them. "Want outta here right?" They nodded at her and she pointed to a motorcycle beside her.
"Cloud, you take this. Tifa come with me!" Tifa followed the sprinting girl down two flights of stairs to the first floor where Barret, Aeris and RedXIII stood at the entrance to the headquarters. Lamirra waved to them as Tifa hollered to follow them. Lamirra ran up to an old beat up Shinra truck. Cloud pulled up beside them and they piled into the vehicle. Lamirra grinned.
"Go up to the third story. You'll see a huge window. The glass is thick, but you should have no problem bust out through that! There's already a crack running through the old thing." Cloud took the lead. There was no way they were going to give up the fight so easily.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko looked quietly about her as the helicopter left with the rest of her co-workers in it. Thankfully they had dropped her off at her home and she looked quietly at her chocobo feeding beside Lamirra's.
"Well kids. Looks like its time to fly the coop." She ran inside and gathered hers and Lamirra's important belongings, which consisted of clothes, weapons, food, a few odds and ends that they couldn't bear to part with, and the journal.
After piling the packs of their things onto Lamirra's chocobo, she mounted her own and took hold of the other's reigns. Once settled on the bird's back, she raised her right hand and closed her eyes.
"Fire Three." Flame engulfed the small building and the woman kicked her chocobo roughly, sending the two creatures off at a breakneck pace. She could be in Kalm by the end of the night if she hurried.
~*~*~*~
A/N:
My my. I have to edit this?! T_T But it was hella fun to read! ^____^ Heh heh...paperclip chains. Hey Rachel, how much you wanna bet that that's gonna be a continuous joke? WOW! Day TWO?! It only took you two days?! o.O* Maybe I'm just a slacker...Okay I guess I AM a slacker...Oh crap, I still have to update Blood-Streaked Reputation...T_T WHY ME?! WHY DID I HAVE TO WRITE MORE THAN ONE FIC AT A TIME?! MAAAOOOOOO.....
~Mai
~Hika
Ack...I forgot to mention, in the argument Nadesiko gets in, she makes biblical references. Hope ya'll don't mind.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko closed her dark brown eyes in frustration as she heard Tseng walk past her cubicle. He hadn't talked to her since they left the helicopter the day before. She could tell that he was mad at her for arguing with him in front of everybody about the treatment he had given Aeris. And it probably didn't help that she had called him a cheap abusive bastard. She shrugged, knowing for a fact that when she threatened to cut his hand off and shove it up his ass the next time he laid a violent hand on Aeris only made the situation worse. No matter. Her eyes wandered to the screen before her. She had looked up the images of the people she had seen on the pillar before the explosion. She herself would pay them respects for trying to protect their home. The first on the list visible on the computer screen was the black man. His face wore a grim expression and looked as though it hadn't been shaved for weeks. The orange vest he wore had a high-fringed neckline that came up behind his head. The caption below it described him.
"Barret Wallace. Leader of the rebel group AVALANCHE. 35 years old, 6 feet 4 inches, born December 15 in Corel Village. After destruction of village in response to its terrorist actions, Wallace moved to sector seven with his friends child, Marlene." Nadesiko felt heat add to her boiling anger as she thought about the child that was either killed or now abandoned because of Shinra's actions. Grimly she made a mental note to find out what happened to the child and see what she could do about the situation.
'Wait a minute...Marlene...' Her eyes closed as her mind scanned through her memory. The Cetra, Aeris, she had yelled something about a girl named Marlene. Had she known about Shinra's plans before hand? And if so, how did she find out? Shaking her head she looked down at the second person on the list. It was the woman. A soft smile was on her lips and her crimson eyes seemed to laugh at the camera. Her brown bangs fell softly past her right eye and she seemed to be wincing slightly as if one of the hairs had fallen into her view. Nadesiko glanced at its caption.
"Tifa Lockheart. Hostess of Sector Seven's Seventh Heaven bar. 20 years old, five feet four inches, born May 3 in Nibelheim. Reason for moving to Midgar currently unknown."
Nadesiko sighed. The Tifa girl was a lot like her. Their birthdays were close; Nadesiko's being the 8th. And they looked so much alike. It kind of creeped the Turk out. She looked down at the third picture, her eyes landing on the blonde haired man. His deep blue eyes sent chills down the woman's spine and she looked carefully over his picture. It was a full shot, unlike the other two which were just headshots. He had an earring in his right ear, a small silver ball that shone slightly. He wore a ragged uniform of a First Class SOLDIER. 'What was he doing fighting Shinra then?' Nadesiko thought for a moment. She quickly shook her head and tried to concentrate on the profile once more. When she noticed the large sword he held loosely in his left hand, its tip dragging on the ground, her eyes narrowed. She had seen it before, even before the pillar. But where? Nadesiko read the caption slowly.
"Cloud Strife. Former Shinra guard. 21 years old, born in Nibelheim. Infused with Mako at 17 years of age. Disappeared during a mission to the Nibel reactor along with First Class SOLDIER Sephiroth and First Class SOLDIER Zack." Nadesiko's eyes widened. What in the world would a guard be doing with a SOLDIER uniform? WHy was he missing? And where does Sephiroth come in!? She shook her head and printed the page. She had a feeling a piece of her puzzle had just revealed itself...But where did it fit?
~*~*~*~
Lamirra looked in Reno's cubicle and smiled softly. Most of his belongings were strewn about the floor, including the Turk uniform's blue jacket and his shoes. He was sprawled limply in his chair, the white Polo shirt halfway unbuttoned. She moved in slowly and picked up a few papers as she went.
"Hello sunshine." She muttered at Reno's limp form. He groaned in response. Lamirra knocked his legs off his desk and slid into their place. A look of kindness was in her eyes. Nadesiko said not to raise suspicion, so she decided to be nice until it was time for payback.
"What's wrong with you?" she leaned in closer to examine the redhead more thoroughly. Reno looked up at her grimly and she immediately concluded that either he was drunk or had a serious hangover. She grinned, hoping that it would be enough to hide her inward laughter. His blood shot eyes closed and he sat up slowly. He held up a finger for each reason he had.
"For one, I'm not drunk, so don't look at me like that. I just didn't get any sleep at all last night."
"Like you get any normally?" Lamirra quirked an eyebrow, a gesture she was used to doing around this particular person. Reno grinned mischievously in spite of his current state.
"And what do you suppose I usually do at night?" when Lamirra's eyes widened, he grinned, getting the shock he was looking for. He stretched a little and continued. "Two, Nadesiko stopped by my house and revived my long dead conscience at about 10 o'clock last night. Explaining why I didn't get any sleep."
"And why she got home late." Lamirra nodded as Reno gave her a flat look and shook his head.
"Did you come in here to make my headache worse?" he groaned a little and leaned back again. Lamirra chuckled softly.
"Not really, no. I just wanted to know if you had any paperclips I could use. I just ran out." Reno looked at her with confusion before reaching slowly behind him and chucking her empty bowl at her. He smiled at her joke.
"Take a wild guess."
~*~*~*~
Cloud walked quietly alongside his two companions. Outside, Shinra headquarters was quiet and peaceful. No one noticed the three dirt covered individuals from the slums as they moved around the back and headed towards the stairwell. The three vigilantes had decided to initiate a rescue operation for their Cetra friend. The brown haired woman trotted up the stairwell right behind the blonde man. She stared at the ground as she moved.
"Cloud. Do you think Aeris will be alright?" Cloud looked cast a glance back at her and shrugged.
"I hope so, Tifa...I hope so."
~*~*~*~
Rufus waited quietly in his office for Nadesiko's arrival. He had summoned her up about an hour ago and he had heard no reply. He wasn't surprised. She was obviously pissed about last night's mission. His blue eyes flashed in the light of his desk and he cursed his father's name aloud. Count on that old man to screw things up.
~*~*~*~
Rude moved silently through the building, Reno close behind him. They had heard some loud noises down on the 50th floor and Tseng had asked them to check it out. Reno looked quietly at his partner.
"Hey Rude?" Rude nodded.
"Yah?"
"...Do you think..."
"The girls are planning something?" the older man pushed his sunglasses farther up the bridge of his nose. Reno blinked.
"Well, yah."
"Why would *I* know Reno?" Reno looked at the ground. The taller man never got too close to the two women. Rude smiled.
"How about we take them out this weekend?" Reno stopped in his tracks and stared in disbelief at Rude. When he kept walking, Reno jogged to catch up.
"Wait, what? *You're* suggesting that we have a double date!?" Rude gave Reno an exasperated look and sighed. No wonder he never had a girlfriend for longer than a week.
"For starters, it's not a date. Just because I'm a serious guy doesn't mean I'm a loser. I just think the girls are a little uptight and might like to relax. Its the same as you and I going to the bar." Reno smirked and smacked his friend on the back.
"Yah right. Whatever you say. Sure why not?" Rude gave Reno a flat stare and smacked the back of his head forcefully before marching off down the hallway. Reno rubbed his head with a pained expression as he followed slowly behind the bald man.
'Yep. He likes one of em.' the redhead grinned slightly. 'But I guess it's kinda hard not to.'
~*~*~*~
Alarms were sounding all around them as the small party of five ran down the winding Shinra halls. They had just succeeded in finding Aeris; now all they had to do was find a way out. Cloud stared down at the cat like beast before him. Hojo had run off faster than all hell when he broke out. Aeris was hanging off the blonde like a leech. He sighed. Running with her on his arm was much more difficult than it would appear. He quickly snapped orders the burly man behind him.
"Barret, you take Aeris and head out. We'll meet you downstairs."
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko marched up to Rufus' office, making sure to have Lamirra in tow. She didn't want to be alone when she left his office for fear that she might hurt someone who *didn't* deserve it. Lamirra watched as her friend stormed ahead of her to slam open the door to Rufus' office. She didn't want to be there, but when her friend wanted something, she could usually get it. Besides, Nadesiko's magic freaked her out. As the door swung closed she decided it would be best for her to stand just outside and eavesdrop, rather than have something "accidentally" chucked at her.
~*~*~*~
Rufus looked up to see Nadesiko, dressed in her uniform, glasses hanging in her right hand, her left hand resting sternly on her hip, and her mouse brown eyes staring down at him vehemently from over his desk.
"Nadesiko. I need you and Lamirra to take night shift tonight in the prison on the 56th floor."
"Why do you need Turks for such a petty job? I thought we were Special Forces."
"The former guard was caught abusing drugs and was fired. Until we can get a replacement we might as well use you two. Besides, you could watch these particular prisoners better than a normal guard can." Nadesiko nodded in agreement and closed her eyes.
"So." she launched right into the issue. "I thought you said that you were going to fix things." Rufus nodded and stood to his feet, moving carefully towards the large window that looked out away from Midgar and to the ocean. He was thankful his office was high enough that he didn't have to see the dreary, dank life below.
"Yes, I did."
Nadesiko stood in her place, eyes boring into him. He could feel their shameless stare even though he could not see them.
"You call having the Turks kill hundreds of people because of ONE rebel faction, taking care of things!? Why didn't you just send me and Mirra to go track them down!?" Rufus turned to her.
"You really think I had a say in the issue? I didn't find out about it till 5:00 yesterday afternoon. That only gave me three hours to try and talk my father out of it!" Nadesiko clenched her fist in fury.
"Three hours could have given you time to go down there yourself and evacuate the people!"
"AND then I would have been suspected of treason!"
"You would have done something honorable!"
"It could have got me killed!"
"A man who seeks to save his life will lose it! A man who gives it willingly to another will gain it!" Rufus stared incredulously at the woman before him. He knew she would eventually win the argument. He closed his eyes. Count on him to chose to fight with a woman who studied theology for a hobby.
"So why didn't *you* do it?" he accused, not willing to give up so easily. Outside Lamirra winced. Nadesiko bit her bottom lip and her eyes moved to the ground. After an uneasy pause, she replied, "I couldn't."
Rufus looked up at her sudden humble response. Her voice was barely audible. She sounded hurt, and it hurt him, but he wasn't going to lose this fight, at least not to anyone listening. He thought for a moment then decided to push further.
"Why not?"
"...I...I..." He moved around to the girl, her face crimson with anger and embarrassment. Her fists were clenched tight and he could see small drops of blood sliding down her fingers onto the carpet she stood upon. A cool finger slid slowly under her chin lifted her face to stare up at their owner.
"I understand."
Nadesiko's face softened into confusion as Rufus kissed her forehead gently and carefully unfolded her fists. He looked down into her palms and stared at the deep cuts her nails had dug into her hands. The blood slid off her fingers and onto his hands, then to the lush blue carpet, turning the thick fabric purple wherever the blood hit. A green light washed over Nadesiko's body and her wounds closed up slowly. When the light vanished she looked up at Rufus curiously.
"How could you understand?" the question was meant to be biting, but in her current state she was unable to voice any strong emotion other than shame. Rufus brushed her hair back from her face and smiled.
"I just do. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry about what happened." Nadesiko pulled away from him and crossed her arms stubbornly. His strange behavior was beginning to freak her out.
"I'll see you around Rufus...Er, I've got work to do." she walked briskly out the door to Lamirra, who was doubled up, giggling like a schoolgirl.
~*~*~*~
Rude stepped quietly onto the elevator and smirked at the blonde standing in front of the switchboard. He finally caught up with the rebel.
"Excuse me Cloud. Going up? I believe your friends are waiting to meet you."
~*~*~*~
Lamirra walked swiftly beside her friend. Both girls stared straight ahead as they talked quietly.
"Do you think he knows?" Nadesiko questioned Lamirra nervously as they turned down the hallway leading to the prison cells. They could hear the captives talking amongst themselves and Lamirra shook her head in response to Nadesiko's question. The girls stood quietly by one of the closed cell doors and listened. From the cell they were by Aeris' voice sifted out.
"Cloud. I'm sorry about this." Nadesiko looked up at Lamirra with a grin.
"They survived!" She mouthed the words silently. Lamirra nodded with a grin of joy and banged on the door.
"Quiet you guys!" She turned to Nadesiko happily. Her grin quickly dissipated. Nadesiko had her head bowed low and she was moving to the each door, reading the nameplates of each.
"Aeris Gainsborough. Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart. Barret Wallace and RedXIII. Lamirra, its the people from the pillar! They made it out!" An unfamiliar female voice growled at them.
"What's it to you? Your getting your pay aren't you? Who care about the innocent people involved?" The girls judged that it was Tifa. Lamirra scowled, angered by the cut into her pride.
"Hey you have no right to judge us! We just-ow!" Nadesiko cuffed Lamirra on the head and moved over to the second cell door quietly.
"Look. We honestly had nothing to do with the pillars destruction. I'm truly sorry for what happened. But please, tell me. Did anyone from AVALANCHE survive?" A burly voice sounded from the end of the hallway in the third cell.
"Course we suhvived! Yo think some fo's like you Shinra vermin can cut us out that easy!?" Lamirra's joy overwhelmed her irritation at the remark and burst out in happy laughter with Nadesiko. Nadesiko lowered her head and smiled softly as the male voice broke out into a tangent of cursing. A voice Lamirra recognized as RedXIII's cut Barret off.
"Barret please stop that. You sound ridiculous. Lamirra is that you out there I hear laughing?" Lamirra nodded and moved towards the door.
"Hey Red. Why are you in here with these people? What happened?" A third male voice, Nadesiko assumed it was Cloud, entered into the conversation. His voice was cool and calm, but all his words had a sarcastic edge to them.
"After you people kidnapped Aeris, and destroyed Sector Seven, we decided to come get Aeris back. Eventually we found her. Hojo was trying to get RedXIII and Aeris to mate." Nadesiko gasped indignantly as Lamirra badmouthed Hojo until Cloud continued. "Well Barret shot open the cage, RedXIII jumped out and attacked Hojo, Hojo ran away, and I sent Aeris with Barret to get out of this place. Tifa, RedXIII, and I wound up fighting this monster. We killed it and left. And then to our misfortune Rude appeared and was kind enough to inform us that Reno had grabbed Aeris and Barret. We were dragged up to President Shinra's office and then sent down here. That's about sums it up anyways."
After waiting a moment to see if Cloud had finished, Lamirra looked up to ask Aeris a question. She hadn't noticed that Nadesiko had gone completely still. "Hey, was Reno okay with you? I mean, he didn't pistol whip you or anything, did he?"
Aeris laughed lightly. She figured that Lamirra had something with the man. "Well, he got in a bit of a fist fight with Barett, but otherwise he was fine." smiling, she questioned, "Why does it matter?"
The simple question threw her off balance. Why DID it matter? Lamirra responded quickly, "Uhm, well, you see he-huh?" she suddenly noticed Nadesiko's strange actions. The older woman gave her a look, to which she nodded. Nadesiko straightened and spoke loud enough so that all the vigilantes could hear.
"Okay um, someone's coming, and we're still working for Shinra. So this conversation's got to end for now. Just wait it out. We'll figure something out, I promise."
~*~*~*~
Lamirra and Nadesiko sat outside for hours, loyally guarding the jail cells. It wasn't long before Lamirra stretched and yawned. Checking to see if she could hear the snores of all of the captives, she turned to Nadesiko.
"Hey, Siko."
"Hmm?" Nadesiko stirred a bit, waking from a light nap.
"Waddaya think about Reno and Rude?"
The older Turk looked at her companion. "Why are you asking now?"
Lamirra fidgeted. "Well, I've been wanting to ask for a while, and I thought that I might as well now."
Nadesiko rolled her eyes, inwardly chuckling. "What exactly were you gonna ask?"
"Uhm...what do you think of them?"
She rolled her eyes again. "Honestly, can you be anymore vague?"
"You know what I mean! Like...how do you feel about them?"
Nadesiko knew exactly what her young friend had in mind, but after hanging around Reno for so long, it was impossible to resist pestering her further. "I think that they're hard workers." she scowled a bit and added, "Except for Reno."
"Ugh!" Lamirra threw up her hands in exasperation. "Do you like them or what? I mean, would you be interested in them?"
Nadesiko burst out laughing. "Interested in them? I guess I could be. Rude's an honest guy and a hard worker. Reno on the other hand...I guess he sorta has that charm, y'know? But otherwise I don't think they'd be good choices for a relationship. " She winked at Lamirra. "Although there're always exceptions."
Just before Lamirra was able to retort, Nadesiko cut her off with a hand motion, her face suddenly becoming serious. A normal Shinra guard stumbled into the hall. His body slumped and then fell to the ground, blood pouring from a gash in his back. Nadesiko grabbed her friend by the arm and pointed up at the air duct above them. Lamirra took the clue and quickly moved up onto her friend's shoulders where she swiftly moved the grating up and in, followed by her body. She reached down and helped Nadesiko up into the opening. The girls slid the grating back into place and they both stared down into the hallway waiting for whatever it was Nadesiko had sensed earlier. Lamirra's bright green eyes stared intently as a tall form, clothed in tight black clothes, bearing a long sword in large gloved hands, moved slowly down the hall. His long white hair fell softly and moved side to side with the long black cloak he wore. Nadesiko looked up at Lamirra at the same time her partner looked at her. Both girls mouthed the same word.
"Sephiroth."
They strained to not even breathe as they watched him move to the center cell and slide open the door where Cloud and Tifa were sleeping soundly. He paused, a small, carnivorous smile forming on his lips. His eyes slid up to the grate, where Lamirra recoiled impulsively, nearly bumping into Nadesiko. The older Turk was unable to see what was going on, but could feel the fear that seemed to seep out of every pore Lamirra had. Sephiroth stood there, staring for what seemed to be hours. Finally, he moved out of the hallway and into the distance, silver hair fluttering out behind him. Both girls simultaneously released the breath they held out of fear.
"Good thing we hid. I wouldn't want to wind up like the guy on the floor there." Lamirra frowned.
"Siko...I thought Sephiroth was dead."
~*~*~*~
Cloud sat up from his uncomfortable position on the cold steel floor. He looked towards the door and frowned when he noticed it was wide open. Moving with a cautious air he walked to the door and peeked around the corner, the stench of death engulfing his sense of smell. The confusion on his face increased when he saw the limp form of the guard lying on the ground, blood surrounding his body. Cloud turned back to Tifa.
"Tifa. Tifa wake up!" Tifa rolled onto her side and glared at Cloud.
"Whaddya want Cloud?" She paused and stared at the door. "Why is the door open?" Cloud shrugged and motioned for her to follow him to the dead guard. When they got to him Tifa covered her face and turned away. Cloud reached down and pulled the keys from his belt trying not to get the blood on his hands. Making a face he removed a key from the ring he held and tossed it to Tifa.
"You wake Aeris up. I'll get the others." Tifa nodded and moved towards the door where Aeris was locked up. With quick movements she unlocked the door, pushed it open and moved towards Aeris.
After Cloud got Barret and RedXIII to wake up they met in the hallway by the corpse. RedXIII looked up at his new companions.
"Do you think the girls did this?" Cloud shook his head.
"I dunno. Why don't you go ahead of us, and we'll follow."
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko watched as Cloud and his small crew moved away from the hall, allowing for the two girls to slide out of the duct quietly. Once on the ground Lamirra turned to the older brunette and bit her bottom lip.
"Should we follow them?" Nadesiko nodded her head and allowed Lamirra to take the lead. Sometimes she just didn't feel like doing the hard part of the work, and Lamirra seemed eager to work off the stress that had built itself up into a knot in her chest.
~*~*~*~
Aeris was the first into President Shinra's office and she looked upon the scene with disgust written upon her face. The president was face down on his desk, with a long sword sticking out from his back. RedXIII slid in behind her and he lowered his head trying to rid his nose of the stench of death. Cloud and Tifa entered at the same time and moved slowly towards the desk as Barret took up the rear, watching carefully for anyone who might pose a threat to the small group. Suddenly a short, bald man, pudgy and too large for his clean brown suit, ran from behind one of the pillars in a desperate attempt to escape the situation. Barret and Cloud moved swiftly, each grabbing one of the fat man's arms and lifting him off the ground. Nadesiko and Lamirra hid behind a desk near the stairs and watched in amusement. Nadesiko turned to her friend with a grin.
"Palmer." She whispered softly and then turned her attention back to the scene before her. Cloud's eyes widened as Palmer broke down and told the men that Sephiroth had shown up and killed the President while muttering something about the Promised Land. As Palmer finished his hurried words he broke loose of the men's grasp and ran past the desk, rushing to escape from the fugitives. Lamirra narrowed her eyes as she went deep into thought about what Palmer had just said. She turned around and nodded at Nadesiko.
"I'm going to follow him. See what he does," she whispered, "then I'll help these guys out of here. I'll meet you in Kalm tomorrow morning alright?" Nadesiko nodded her approval and watched as her friend slipped away, as quiet and stealthy as a cat. Nadesiko winced. They were going to get in sooo much trouble with Tseng. The sound of helicopter blades filled her ears and she snapped out of her daze as she watched the group run outside to meet the machine. She groaned quietly. That helicopter meant only one thing. The Turks and Rufus.
~*~*~*~
Lamirra watched in silence as Palmer pulled the cell phone from his pocket.
"Hello Rufus-er President Rufus.... Yes, yes. We were attacked. By Sephiroth himself. He killed your father by they way.... yes of course.....No I don't know where the girls are. I figure Sephiroth got a hold of them as well.... of course sir.... well sir...the key? Oh yes. Actually I did get a lead. Um hum.... You remember Cosmo Canyon don't you? Buegen Haggen. That crazy old cook that used to work for your father. He used to talk about all sorts of stuff like that.... yes, he lives there now. He definitely knows something sir. That's why we got that specimen, oh what did Hojo call it...oh yes, RedXIII. Of course...of course sir. Good day sir." Palmer flipped his cell phone closed and placed it into his pocket before skipping off to the elevator. Lamirra's eyes widened. So Rufus wanted the key! Siko would not be happy about this at all.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko watched anxiously as she moved close enough to the helicopter she could jump in. But she refused to move into it until she knew Rufus was going to leave first. Rufus had given a long annoying speech about how his father had done everything wrong, that his father had gone strictly by money or whatever, but he would rule by fear. All but Cloud had left after he spoke and now the two men faced off preparing for a battle. Her brown eyes filled with worry. She didn't want Cloud to die, and she knew Rufus would want to kill him, because Cloud could be a valuable asset to her mission. He was friends with the Ancient! But Rufus couldn't die either. No matter how much she denied it in public, she had grown fond of him. She smiled gratefully as Rufus dodged an attack from Cloud and grabbed the bottom of the helicopter. As the helicopter began to move away from the building she got a running start and leaped at it, sailing into the cockpit gracefully. She then turned and reached down, giving Rufus a hand into the machine. He looked up at her with confusion.
"How did you?" She smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She took a breath before she began her story, making up the details as she went along.
"Mirra and I were on break when Sephiroth appeared out of nowhere! We both hid to see what he would do, and then he just disappeared again! It was really freaky. So I went upstairs to check on the President while Lamirra went back to check the cells. When I got upstairs I saw the President dead, and then I heard the chopper. I went to the top story to see what was going on. Then I saw you in the fight with that blonde guy. I showed up just when you finished too. So I decided to jump onto the helicopter and make sure you were all right." Rufus looked at the girl as she talked in a panicky voice, her eyes wide with fear. Nadesiko thought she was playing her part well, and was smiling inwardly. Rufus wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled him to her in a gentle hug. Tseng glared at her from across the machine.
"What about Lamirra?" Nadesiko's eyes fell to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small twitch from Reno.
"I-I don't know. She said if I didn't hear from her by morning time...Then to just..."Tears welled up in her eyes on cue and she buried her head in Rufus chest. The older man wrapped his arms protectively around her shaking body. Tseng's eyes softened slightly at prospect of Lamirra's death. He looked at the other three Turks in the chopper with him. All three had their heads bowed silently and wouldn't look up. Reno seemed to be lost in thought, as Nadesiko sobbed silently he clasped his hands behind his neck and closed his eyes tightly. This just wasn't his week.
~*~*~*~
Lamirra ran behind Cloud and Tifa her sleeves rolled up and eyes ablaze she grinned.
"Heyo kiddies!" She hollered up at the two and they turned with confused expressions. When Tifa saw who it was, she scowled. No matter how friendly this Turk was, there was no way she could be good. Cloud quirked an eyebrow.
"Aren't you younger than us?"
"Details, details." Lamirra waved a lazy hand at them. "Want outta here right?" They nodded at her and she pointed to a motorcycle beside her.
"Cloud, you take this. Tifa come with me!" Tifa followed the sprinting girl down two flights of stairs to the first floor where Barret, Aeris and RedXIII stood at the entrance to the headquarters. Lamirra waved to them as Tifa hollered to follow them. Lamirra ran up to an old beat up Shinra truck. Cloud pulled up beside them and they piled into the vehicle. Lamirra grinned.
"Go up to the third story. You'll see a huge window. The glass is thick, but you should have no problem bust out through that! There's already a crack running through the old thing." Cloud took the lead. There was no way they were going to give up the fight so easily.
~*~*~*~
Nadesiko looked quietly about her as the helicopter left with the rest of her co-workers in it. Thankfully they had dropped her off at her home and she looked quietly at her chocobo feeding beside Lamirra's.
"Well kids. Looks like its time to fly the coop." She ran inside and gathered hers and Lamirra's important belongings, which consisted of clothes, weapons, food, a few odds and ends that they couldn't bear to part with, and the journal.
After piling the packs of their things onto Lamirra's chocobo, she mounted her own and took hold of the other's reigns. Once settled on the bird's back, she raised her right hand and closed her eyes.
"Fire Three." Flame engulfed the small building and the woman kicked her chocobo roughly, sending the two creatures off at a breakneck pace. She could be in Kalm by the end of the night if she hurried.
~*~*~*~
A/N:
My my. I have to edit this?! T_T But it was hella fun to read! ^____^ Heh heh...paperclip chains. Hey Rachel, how much you wanna bet that that's gonna be a continuous joke? WOW! Day TWO?! It only took you two days?! o.O* Maybe I'm just a slacker...Okay I guess I AM a slacker...Oh crap, I still have to update Blood-Streaked Reputation...T_T WHY ME?! WHY DID I HAVE TO WRITE MORE THAN ONE FIC AT A TIME?! MAAAOOOOOO.....
~Mai
